Sacramento Running News

Shoes are all up in your news again!

Just last week, Skechers USA announced a $40 million settlement in a class action suit by consumers over exaggerated claims about Shape-Ups, Podded Sole Shoes, Tone-Ups, and Resistance Runners.

This settlement comes almost exactly a year after Skechers reached a $40 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over these same hyperbolic advertisements.

I guess if you are saying “Get in shape without setting foot in the gym” then you’d better be able to back that up with data.

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People seem to either love or hate, or love to hate, Christopher McDougall, the author of Born to Run and fierce advocate of minimalist running.

He recently wrote an article for New York Times magazine about an interesting exercise, called “100 ups,” that he believes will help your running.

In the article, McDougall recognizes the important fact that people can, and do run barefoot and still have terrible form.

Here’s the video. I’d be interested to hear back from anyone who tries the exercises.

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If you read this website regularly, you’ll know that while I do like to make fun of barefoot running zealots, I’m actually supportive of some amount of barefoot running.

What I’m nervous about is the lack of solid science about what it’s good for and what it’s not going to help.

Thankfully, in large part due to the enthusiasm engendered by Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run, there is a growing body of science regarding the ins and outs of barefoot versus shod running.

There is also a growing body of medical anecdotes about injury rates and barefoot running zombies who are ready to shout down any nay-sayers. (Of course, there are also anti-barefoot running zealots, too.)

The New York Times Well blog has a nice wrap-up of current science. Here’s the money quote: (more…)